Oral appliance for removing aerosols produced during dentistry

An apparatus for reducing the potential for contamination of dental practitioners during dental procedures;

• said apparatus comprising:
• (a) a vacuum drawing conduit sized and shaped to be adapted to be positioned substantially around the outer perimeter of the mouth of a patient;
• (b) vacuum generating means operably connected to said vacuum drawing conduit for drawing fluids and aerosols emanating from the mouth through said aperture;
• (c) said vacuum drawing conduit includes a continuous hollow tubular collector adapted to extend around the perimeter of the patient's mouth and having an access opening through said collector to allow access to the patient's mouth during use, said access being defined by an inward side of said tubular connector;
• (d) a plurality of spaced apertures located along the inward side of said collector and communicating between said access opening and an internal channel in said collector;
• each of said apertures being positioned generally outside of and in close proximity to the mouth during use of the apparatus;
• and
• (e) tube means for communicating with said channel such that fluids and aerosols are adapted to be drawn through said apertures to said vacuum generating means.

An apparatus for preventing the transfer of harmful substances between a patient and a dental practitioner during dental procedures and the like, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a hollow tubular member of continuous configuration having a central access opening adapted to allow access to a mouth of the patient, said access opening defined by an inward side of said tubular member, said tubular member being adapted to be placed in a surrounding relationship to the mouth of the patient;
• (b) a plurality of spaced apertures located along said tubular member and facing said access opening;
• said tubular member having a generally continuous internal channel flow connecting with said apertures;
• and
• (c) vacuum drawing means operably flow connected to said channel for drawing fluid and aerosols from said access opening through said apertures and said channel.

An apparatus for reducing the potential for contamination between dental patients and dental practitioners during dental procedures likely to produce both contaminated sprays and aerosols;

• said apparatus comprising:
• (a) a vacuum drawing conduit having;
• (1) a continuous hollow tubular collector adapted to be positioned around and in close proximity to the mouth of the patient;
• said collector having a central opening therethrough adapted to provide access to the mouth of the patient, said central opening defined by an inner boundary of said tubular collector;
• (2) a plurality of spaced apertures located along the inner boundary of said collector and communicating between said access opening and an internal channel of said collector;
• (3) said collector having at least one flexible and resilient tube extending therefrom and having a central bore;
• said tube having an opening flow connected to said bore adapted to be near a distal end thereof and being operably positioned for drawing fluids from the mouth of the patient;
• said tube bore being flow connected to said internal channel of said collector;
• (4) a pair of tubular members having first and second ends;
• said collector having said tubular member first ends connected thereto;
• said tubular members each having axially extending lumens operably flow connected with said internal channel of said collector;
• (5) coupler means to connect said second ends of said tubular members with a first end of a first connecting hose;
• said coupler means comprising a Y-shaped member;
• said Y-shaped member connected to a first end of a first connecting hose;
• (6) a second end of said first connecting hose removably connected to a first end of filter means;
• said filter means having an air filter member for removing air borne contaminants and a charcoal filter member for trapping nitrous oxide and charcoal absorbing hazardous gases;
• and
• (7) a second end of said filter means removably connected to a first end of a second connecting hose;
• (b) vacuum generating means comprising an electrically powered vacuum cleaning apparatus for drawing liquids, gases and solids and having a fluid collecting reservoir therein;
• a second end of said second connecting hose being flow connected to the inlet of said vacuum generating means;
• said fluid collecting reservoir including chemical means for denaturing virus;
• and
• (c) adhesion means comprising;
• (1) a double sided adhesive tape applied to an engagement portion of said collectors;
• said adhesive tape having an inner adhesion surface adhered to said engagement portion and an outer adhesive surface adapted for securing to the patient;
• said outer adhesion surface covered with a removable non-stick covering during storage;
• and
• (2) said tubular members adapted to operably extend around the perimeter of the patient's head so as to form a size adjustable opening;
• said tubular members adjustably joined together behind said patient's head by adjustment means for slidably altering the dimension of said size adjustable opening.

A method of preventing the exchange of harmful substances between a dental practitioner and a dental patient, while providing visual and hand access by the practitioner to the mouth of the patient;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• (a) providing a vacuum drawing apparatus including an annular collector having a central access opening, defined by an inward side of said annular collector and an internal channel;
• said channel flow communicating with said access opening through at least one aperture;
• (b) placing said annular collector in surrounding relationship to the mouth of said patient;
• (c) generating a vacuum to operably draw fluids and aerosols through said annular collector while said annular collector is in a surrounding relationship to the patient's mouth thereby evacuating harmful substances from the region of said patient's mouth.